Tiger Woods commits to play Torrey Pines

Tiger Woods is returning to Torrey Pines, and the people who manage the Farmers Insurance Open are thrilled.

Woods officially committed on Wednesday to the tournament that will be played in less than two weeks on the Torrey Pines South and North Courses. It will be Woods’ first appearance in two years at the event that he has won six previous times, though his last victory at Torrey Pines was the 2008 U.S. Open.

Peter Ripa, in his second year as the tournament director for the Farmers Open, said Woods’ inclusion will be “huge” for the tournament. He said he expects attendance to rise by as much as 30 percent, while TV ratings in the past have been markedly better when Woods plays.

“Without question, to have arguably the best player in the history of the sport here, it moves the needle,” Ripa said. “There’s instant relevance to your event because of him.

“When a field is looked upon, it’s not the depth of the overall field that the media looks at. It’s, ‘Who are the top guys?’ When Tiger’s in the field, it’s considered one of the strongest fields of the year. That’s the reality of it.”

Ripa now has a field that, in star power at least, will rival most regular PGA Tour events. Joining Woods are four-time major winner and San Diegan Phil Mickelson, reigning Farmers and FedEx Cup champion Brandt Snedeker, current Masters titlist Bubba Watson, popular Murrieta native Rickie Fowler and this week’s Hyundai Tournament of Champions winner, Dustin Johnson.

“We are pleased to have a player of Tiger Woods’ stature in our field at the Farmers Insurance Open,” Chuck Browning, Farmers head of sponsorships and corporate giving, said in a statement.

Woods, 37, has scored victories in San Diego’s regular tour event in 1999, 2003, ’05, ’06, ’07 and ’08. Five months after the latter win, he captured the U.S. Open in a 19-hole playoff over Rocco Mediate.

Woods didn’t play in San Diego in ’09 because of the impending birth of his second child and in ’10 in the aftermath of his infidelity scandal. In the 2011 Farmers, Woods struggled on the weekend by shooting 74-75 and tied for 44th – his worst finish ever at Torrey Pines.

Last year, Woods skipped the Farmers because he was fulfilling a sponsor’s commitment to play in Abu Dhabi.

This year, Woods will again play in Abu Dhabi, but the tournament is the week before the Farmers Open.